He who falls
by first-timer908
Summary: The only man He ever feared. Harry's only saviour. What happens when even the wisest man in the world has fallen?
1. Vanquish thy enemy

Hey, this is my first proper fan fic, second chapter coming soon! Please give me constuctive comments, thanks!

**Chapter One**

_**Vanquish thy enemy...**_

Dumbledore paced his study. He was fine - freaked out, insecure, neurotic and emotional I mean.

"If there was one boy who just couldn't stay out of the way, it has to be Harry..." Dumbledore thought to himself. He scowled, the boy was gone, but for how long? How long before he came back, after arguing with his family _again_, "Well, they are muggles after all..." Dumbledore thought to himself.

Fawkes gave a little squeak; he was still growing after he had flew in the way of a killing curse from Voldemort that had been aimed at Dumbledore, the golden tinge was slowly coming back to his scarlet feathers.

Dumbledore went over to the window and looked down at the lake. The monster that dwelled beneath it's surface may help at one point in the future, but it'll have to be tamed.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, making Dumbledore jump slightly. "Who is it?" Dumbledore asked. Professor McGonagall walked in, closing the door behind her.

"Ah, Minerva what a pleasant surprise" Dumbledore smiled at her.

"Surprise? I told you I would come up to say goodbye, and that I'll see you in a week, remember that thing I must do for the Order...?" she said, a slight frown on her forehead, it was not like Albus to act like this, he was sharp, the sharpest wizard Minerva had ever met, what was wrong?

"Is anything wrong, Albus?" she asked, as she stroked Fawkes, even the phoenix seemed tense, something must really be up.

"Oh, nothing, Minerva, although I do have a little problem..." he said taking out his wand.

"What's that?" said Minerva asked slowly watching the wand warily.

He raised his wand, _"Reducto!" _Professor McGonagall's hand flew out of the inside of her robes, _"Protego!" _she cried, the spell cast just in time to rebound Dumbledore's curse back upon him. With a flick of his wand the spell dissolved in the air before it even got half way. Dumbledore chuckled a chuckle that did not belong to any human.

"Ah, so there is life in you after all, eh?" He sneered.

Minerva was panting, she now knew that Dumbledore had now gone over the edge, one thing that Fudge must have been right about...but what could she do? He was the most powerful wizard of their time, armed with a wand and completely crazed.

She looked him straight in the eye, there really wasn't something right about him...he had that odd, manacle glint there...

"I don't know what has happened, Dumbledore but for Merlin's sake, _put the wand down._" She said, a hint of desperation in her voice that just made Dumbledore's sneer grow wider.

Again he raised his wand and pointed it her, _"Incarcerous!" _Ropes whipped out of his wand at her. _"Diffindo!" _she screamed at the ropes, flourishing her wand out again. The ropes that would've bound and suffocated her, were ripped apart, but one still managed whip out and lash at the Transfiguration Professor. She fell back and hit the wall with a sharp crack, such was the insensity of the lash.

A long, dead straight cut now marked her face and the professor could also taste blood in her mouth. She knew it was over.

"The problem was, and thankfully will never again be, you" he said and with that he raised his wand, _"Avada Kedavra!"_

She never stood a chance. Professor McGonagall fell her last fall, her lungs took their last breath, her heart gave one strong, defiant beat and with that the head of Gryffindor House, and the second to last descendant of Godric Gryffindor died.

Dumbledore laughed at her body lying there on the floor, lifeless and cold.

He pointed his wand at McGonagall's hair, _"Diffindo." _He'd need that later for a potion.

Dumbledore got down to his kennes and leaned towards the face of the former Head of Gryffindor,"If anyone deserved to die, it wasn't you." Dumbledore whispered to the body. He stood up stra ight again.

He smiled; he couldn't wait to get Harry when the next year began...


	2. An old enemy, new ways

**Chapter Two**

_**Charm thy weight...**_

Harry walked towards charms, no sign of Voldemort in both the magical and muggle world had really put a spring in his step.

"Where are Hermione and Ron?" He thought to himself, "They seemed to be acting more and more weirdly lately..."

He acme to the classroom and entered, he was a little early, so only Professor Flitwick was there. "Ah, Harry! How are you today then?" he squeaked, "Fine, Professor, you?" Harry replied. "Oh, good, good..."

The door opened and students began to stream in as the bell went to signal the start of the class, Hermione and Ron were among them, "Where were you two?" Harry asked. But before Ron could say anything, Professor Flitwick began to teach.

"Now today, class, we are going to learn a new charm, one which will most likely come up in your NEWT'S, the Weight Charm. This charm, although it sounds easy, can be a tricky little thing to master.

"It is tricky because the wand must be able to measure how much weight an object can take, because sometimes a person will not want to crush something, but they will only want to weigh it down."

Harry remembered when Voldemort had done that charm on his back in the graveyard nearly one and half years ago, he had felt that weight. It hit him then how much power Voldemort had had over him then, how he could of easily snapped his back by letting the charm intensify, leaving Harry paralysed or even dead.

"...so therefore the weight will press down. Yes, Miss Granger?" Flitwick enquired.

"Sir, am I right in saying," Hermione piped up, "that this charm could actually be used as a curse?"

Flitwick smiled. "Yes, some people do call it a curse, as it can be used to crush a person, and that it can be very hard to repel, because not only does it physically weigh down something, it can also weigh down magic, depending on the power of the charm and the concentration of the person casting it.

"Now, in front of you all is a feather, this time with a powerful levitation on it that cannot be taken off with a simple finishing spell, but must be weighed down. The incantation is _'onusipa'_, remember, you must twirl the wand in your hand, through your fingers, as we have been practising. Oh, and it's better to stand while doing this charm, therefore there will be more room for flourishing."

There was a lot of scraping as everyone stood up and looked tentatively at the feathers floating above them.

Hermione started straight away, she twirled her wand, saying the charm clearly then pointing her wand at the feather, which was about a foot and a half above her. Nothing happened.

"Ah, Miss Granger," said Ron in mock squeaky voice, "maybe a bit more flourish..." Hermione glared at him playfully, and then turned back to her feather to try again.

Harry turned to focus on his feather, twirling his wand fast and low he raised it in a flourish then flicked it towards the feather, while saying loudly "_Onusipa!_" The feather dipped a bit, but he pushed with his mind, feeling the charm still in place. He held his wand poised up at the feather as it began to lower slowly towards him.

Harry walked out of charms feeling more better about himself now that Flitwick had awarded Gryffindor twenty five house points on Harry's behalf.

He spotted Professor Dumbledore walking purposefully down the corridor towards him. Harry stopped as the headmaster canme in front of him, "Harry, I need a quick word..." before Harry could reply, Dumbledore steered him into the nearest empty classroom.

"Now, Harry how are youfeeling?" Dumbledore asked him, looking him in the eye.

"I'm fine, Profes – AH!" Harry's scar seared in pain, when he looked up at Dumbledore he swore he was sneering but it was gone before he could confirm anything.

"Harry, I meant to ask you, er, I need to have a chat to you about some important things, about Voldemort and the like..." Dumbledore continued as though nothing had happened.

And with that Dumbledore opened the door and swept off before Harry could reply...


	3. Hogwarts begins to crumble

**Chapter Three**

_**Thrill thy soul...**_

"Harry? Harry!" Harry awoke with a start to find Ron and Hermione, looking down on him.

"What were you doing there?" Ron asked.

"I was waiting up for you two when I fell asleep...what's the time" he said in reply.

"It's two o'clock in the morning" Hermione said.

"What?? What were you two doing?" Harry asked, looking at them both incredulously.

"I'm off to bed" Hermione said, yawning.

"You were never good acting, Hermione, so don't try now. What were you two up to?" he said looking from one face to the other.

They both looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment, then Hermione sighed and said "Oh go on, we might as well tell him..."

"No, Hermione, you know what-" Ron started to protest.

But before he could finish, Hermione blurted out, "Harry, Ron and I are going out" Stunned silence from both Ron and Harry ensued.

"What?" Harry said.

"Ron and I are go-"

"I heard what you said!" Harry snapped.

"Harry?" Ron asked, looking Harry in the eye. "I'm going to bed." Harry said and got up and walked towards the dormitory stairs.

BANG.

The floor shook; Hermione cried out and grabbed Ron. "What the hell..." Harry murmured as the floor, began to tilt.

"Harry...the tower...it's falling!" Ron gasped as squashy armchairs began to slide across the floor, and the small tables began to tumble over.

Suddenly there was a massive booming sound as the whole tower began to tear away from the side of the castle. Harry fell back, sliding on the carpet until he hit the wall at the bottom, all the wind was knocked out of him. He looked up and saw to his horror as a log flew out of the fire and tumble down towards him.

"_Wingardium leviosa!_" Hermione cried pointing her wand with a flick in Harry's direction, the log flew over Harry's head, but he still smelt burning hair as it singed the top of his head.

There was screaming as the students in their dormitories woke to find their beds crashing into one another. Trunks smashed out of the windows as student tries to look for other means of escape.

Students who had broomsticks were scrambling on them, hurrying their friends to get on. Broomsticks loaded with two to three students on tumbled out of windows. The broomsticks which could not take all the weight fell slowly, the students were still able to land safely, rolling over and over, then to stand and look at the devastation of their school.

One student, a first year, fell out of a window, only to just be caught by a fifth year. More students screamed as more fell out of the windows and holes in the walls. They fell towards the lake to meet their death in the freezing waters.

Bricks, wood and glass fell away from the table. Harry tumbled into the dormitory, and quickly held on to the door. All the boys were crumbled at the bottom of the room, some crumpled on top of the beds, while others had beds on top of them.

"Help!" screamed Neville, "I can hardly breath!" Harry looked at them, a lump rising in his throat, what could he do, he wasn't a miracle worker! He pointed his wand at the bed on top of Neville, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" The bed soared off of Neville, could scrambled on to his feet, trying to keep his balance. "Grab one of the others!" Harry shouted. Just then Hermione and Ron stumbled in with Parvati Patil, who was chalk white. "Ron, grab the door! Parvati, hold Ron's hand, Hermione grab Parvati's and then I'll go down and get Neville!"

Harry began walk, as steadily as he could, down to Neville who stood shaking with Seamus, who was supporting an unconscious Dean. "Grab my hand!" Harry shouted.

The tower was now falling fast; nearly all of the students had managed to get out on to the landing, while others were being helped by their classmates. Injuries ranged from bruises and cuts to broken bones and unconsciousness.

Harry struggled with the weight of his fellow Gryffindors as they scrambled up the near vertical floor to the door. They reached the door; fell down the stairs and into the common room, from there they struggled against the angle of the floor. But Harry tripped on a table and he fell, seeing stars. Hermione, Ron, Neville and Seamus who was dragging Dean fell out in a flurry of dust and ash on to the landing.

Harry struggled up.

The grinding and crashing noise stopped.

Harry ran and stumbled up the common room.

He knew he had only seconds to live if he did get there fast enough; he reached the edge of the tower and looked down and, as if in slow motion, he saw the tower part with castle, revealing the churning lake waters below.

Harry jumped; he missed the edge by centimetres but managed to grab on with his hands. His body hit the wall, knocking the wind out of him. Using every vestige of energy in him he climbed up, someone grabbed his shoulder and hauled him. He looked up into Ginny's eyes, "Thank you!" he gasped as he fell down onto the carpet of the landing, panting.


End file.
